On Feb 1, Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital and St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, two of Austin’s largest hospitals, both reported power losses but continued operations with backup generators, ABC affiliate KVUE reported.
Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital, a 391-bed facility, said in a statement, “All Ascension Seton hospitals have emergency response plans in place to provide uninterrupted patient care, including access to generators for each care site.”
However, 441-bed St. David’s North Austin Medical Center reported that although safety and care were not compromised as a result of the power loss, it was rescheduling nonemergent surgeries. As of the morning of Feb. 2, its website showed an emergency room wait time of just seven minutes, suggesting systems are streamlined despite the power outages.
Just outside of Austin, 25-bed Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Taylor, Texas, reported the same conditions and power loss. It noted there would be no disruption to care at this time.
As of the morning of Feb. 2, Austin Energy was still reporting 70.93 percent of customers without power. A spokesperson for the utility company told the Austin American-Statesman “it expects full restoration by Friday [Feb. 3] at 6 p.m.”
More severe weather and icy conditions are expected in the region Feb. 2.
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